Coronado High School’s production of “Failure: A Love Story” was far from a failure. Failure: A Love Story follows three sisters in a rather cheerful, yet macabre manner. The Fail family, originally known as the Failbottom family, suffered many losses; first the parents, then Nelly, then Jenny June, and finally Gerty, in that order. While the Fails suffered from many losses, the one thing that prevailed was love. Love filled the family’s home, seen in the siblings and the love interest, Mortimer Mortimer.

The Fail family was far from normal. Nelly Fail (Sarah Lovett), Jenny June Fail (Ana Rosales), and Gerty Fail (Brianna Jimenez) were the heart and soul of the production. The girls interacted well with each other and made it truly feel like a family. The sisters were there for each other through the hardest times and through the more lighthearted scenes. They all had phenomenal stage presence and kept the show interesting.

Nelly Fail (Lovett) was the youngest and first to die within the Fail siblings. Lovett’s stage presence was strong and she did an amazing job playing both a child and an adult with a seamless transition. Her love for Mortimer Mortimer (Fernando Romero) felt authentic and let the audience fall in love with both characters. Her untimely death created a framework to the play and created a sense of unity with the rest of the characters.

Jenny June Fail (Rosales) was the middle child and the second to die. Jenny June was far from timid. Rosales accurately played the determined and comedic character. Her funny moments left the audience laughing and her determination was truly shown throughout the show.

Gerty Fail (Jimenez) was the eldest and the last to die. Jimenez accurately played the eldest sister who was a stickler for the rules. Although she played the most static character, she did play it well. Her love for her younger sisters felt genuine and so was her love for Mortimer Mortimer.

The set was rather simple, but it was still done well, the props truly made it feel alive. The snakes, clocks, and birds- which were also actors- created a lovely ambiance which helped push the show along. Although there were some issues with the lighting, the actors worked around it to produce a great show.

Coronado High School’s production of “Failure: A Love Story” truly showed how mortality and love play vital roles in everyone’s lives.

by Sarah Oberman of Loretto Academy

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Failure, it’s a part of life, but for the Fail family, it’s a way of life. Coronado’s production of “Failure: A Love Story”, was an excellent portrayal of this tragic/comedy. The show starts with a scene of a young looking couple on a car ride and then tragedy strikes. Mr. and Mrs. Fail were now the late Fails. Their three daughters and one son must now continue the life of the “Fail Clockworks” shop for their parents’ name. Little do they know that more misfortune would soon happen.

The oldest daughter Gerty, Brianna Jimenez, took responsibility in maintaining the shop while depicting wonderful characterization, along with her other sisters Jenny June and Nelly. Nelly, Sarah Lovett, started as a baby and her character change from child to young women was incredible. Anyone could tell these ladies have worked on creating a character for this show. Another honorable mention would be Mortimer Mortimer, Fernando Romero, as he played a young man hopelessly in love, with ease. Every character that interacted with him had such great chemistry on stage it was implausible. Not to mention John Fail, Isaiah Dawkins, as the brother/animal whisperer. He automatically gained the audiences condolences when he has a heart breaking scene with the Dog, Ethan Namiot.

The story continues over a course of a month and one by one the Fail sisters fall in love with the charming Mortimer. Their love seems never ending until misery holds each of the sisters by the throat. It seems that they will never get their shot to be married happily and just when their hopes are raised, they crash and fall.

Lighting was used excellently, though there were a few problems with spot light at times, the light cues were mainly on point. On another note, I admired the ensemble work of the clocks, whether it was the ticking or when they spoke as a chorus, it was spectacular. Throughout the narration, there were a few problems with articulation and volume, which made it a little harder to follow the story, but overall the dictation of the cast was respectable. Another thing to mention would have to be the clocks. Never once did I look back at the clocks and see them stop. They made it believable that they were actual clocks.

I completely and thoroughly enjoyed the show through tears and giggles and give Coronado’s Thunder Theatre a round of applause for the exceptional performance of “Failure: A Love Story.” “Remember to tell them we are not late, but that we are on our way.”

When you lose someone you care about, you may do anything you can to feel close to them. For some, this could involve looking at old photographs, or going through their belongings. In the case of Socorro High School’s production of She Kills Monsters, the natural choice was to go on a journey to defeat a 5-headed dragon. Written by Oui Nguyen, this harrowing story follows “average” high schooler Agnes as she delves into the world of Dungeons & Dragons in order to learn more about her nerdy sister Tilly, who was tragically killed the year before. What ensues is a tale of female empowerment, friendship, and acceptance that left the audience laughing as hard as they sobbed.

Technically speaking, the show itself was a very ambitious choice. However, Socorro pulled it off wonderfully, with an advanced combination of creative ideas and techniques. The entire set was mostly a sort of wall of projections, a concept which is just as cool in theory as it is to witness. They also utilized a raised platform that allowed for actors to pop up seemingly out of the stage, which added to the action sequences brilliantly. Additionally, the props, which were made entirely by students, were expertly done, such as giant swords and a looming dragon. Though the various parts sometimes glitched, it did not hinder the performance or the rest of the notable technical choices, which speaks highly to the team’s professionalism.

In the role of Agnes, Isabella Valera did a great job of exhibiting character development, going from someone who was relatively shallow to someone who understood the value in loving your family. Additionally, Valera’s physicality was balanced very well as a high school girl who had to valiantly fightmonsters. As her younger sister Tilly, Sandra Hidalgo proved herself to have a spectacular stage presence. She carried the weight of a challenging role with grace, and very realistically led the audience through the terrifying and emotionally confusing journey that being a 15 year old girl can be.

A standout portrayal was by Ruben Villa in the role of the geeky Dungeon Master Chuck. Villa had outstanding comedic timing, leaving onlookers with side-splitting giggles after nearly all of his lines. He was amongst the most believable in his role because of all the choices he made within the character, such as when he would take an exceptionally long pause before admitting something embarrassing. Similarly, Alan Aguirre was charming as Agnes’s jock boyfriend, Miles. He really made the audience care about him, and he delivered his lines with his own kind of hilarity.

Just as memorable were the performances by the supporting actors and chorus members. Personal favorites include Jade Havens as Kaliope, Serena Barela as Lilith, and Jesus Torres as Steve. Whether they merely provided comedic relief, or played to the profound themes of the play, they didn’t miss a beat and were extremely enjoyable to watch. I particularly enjoyed Gerralyn Hill’s performance as Orcus, which was filled with incomparable hilarity. Even the shoppers that stood in the background of some scenes caught my attention, for they had character and presence without saying any lines.

Because of entertaining portrayals by student actors and impressive technical aspects, it’s safe to say that the Teatristas’ production absolutely “killed it”!

by Sarah Lovett of Coronado High School

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Swords, Demons, and Cheerleaders. A group of dynamic actors tactically command the stage, moving the audience towards an amalgamation of laughter and tears. Socorro High School’s production of Qui Nguyen’s SHE KILLS MONSTERS informs the audience of the importance in the love and appreciation of one’s family and circumstance.

SHE KILLS MONSTERS comedically narrates the life of Agnes Evans (Isabella Valera) as she copes with the death of her younger sister, Tilly (Sandra Hidalgo). Upon the discovery of her sister’s notebook, Agnes finds herself caught between reality and the world of Dungeons and Dragons as an instrument to connect with her departed loved one. With the help of one stereotypical D&D expert, Chuck (Ruben Villa), Agnes soon discovers the reasons as to why her sister took to this alternate reality as a refuge.

Socorro High School’s creativity shined through the commendable props and set pieces utilized throughout the play. Giant cartoonish swords, pop up D&D game tables, a descending GAP store sign, realistic mall dressing rooms, and last but certainly not least: a marvelous five headed dragon, were just a mere representation of the innovative ideas pictured within the production. The use of said materials were not only functional, but provided an evident shift between actuality and a world of role play. High praise is well deserved for the properties manager, Juan Mata, the scenic artist, Daniel Lozano, and the crew members that assisted in the telling of a story through spectacle.

Every actor who brought this play to life depicted their character with high energy, developing relationships that were integral to the show’s message. Isabella Valera and Sandra Hidalgo were heartwarming as Agnes and Tilly. Valera’s character choices invited us into a world of love and longing for her younger sister, while Hidalgo brought the audience along for an adventure to reveal the real Tilly. The relationship between the two sisters ultimately moved the audience to tears at the conclusion of the play, emphasizing the importance of sisterly love.

Ruben Villa and Gerralyn Hill both deserve honorable mentions for their excellent comedic timing and convincing characters within the roles of Chuck and Orcus. Villa’s representation of Chuck had the audience hooked from the very moment he walked on stage with his likeability and commendable characterization, while Hill’s ironic energy as a retired and sloth like demon highlighted the comedic value of the play. There never ceased to be a moment of stage time that that the two did not make the audience burst into laughter.

Socorro High School’s tech filled the stage with lights, fog, sound effects, and projections, transporting the audience into the lives of the characters. Although the projections experienced complications at the start of the play, the crew members admirably worked to solve the problem. The strategic use of lights and projections assisted in the transitioning between Tilly’s D&D world, the everyday life of a teenager, and a GAP outlet.

The Teatristas of Socorro High School gave a spectacular performance, leaving the audience crying for more. Socorro’s theatre troupe stands as a living example of successful high school theatre that deserves the love and support of their community for their astounding performance. Giant gelatin cubes, evil fairy cheerleaders, five headed dragons; sometimes you have to remind yourself that, “It’s just a game.”

From the grinning Cheshire cat to the crazy Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland is a full action play with never a break. Alice in Wonderland is a heartfelt show that kept the audience on their toes the entire time. The show revolves around the young Alice trying to find her way back home in order to make it to her birthday party. Alice is on the hunt to find the Queen of Hearts, believing the Queen can help her go home. She meets the interesting Cheshire Cat who follows her on her journey to see the Queen. On Alice’s quest, she meets multiple fascinating characters that give her an experience that she and the audience will never forget. Alice in Wonderland is a heartfelt show that will leave children and adults in a positive mood.

The acting was incredible. From making people laugh to leaving them in awe, the actors did a wonderful job by warming people of all ages’ hearts. There was never a dull moment in this play. Actors switched smoothly from one scene to another. Some actors did perform better than others on delivering words. Cheshire Cat played by Maddie Haase was an interesting character and did an amazing job keeping the audience hooked. She played the part extremely well and never failed to grin. Alice, played by Raquel Romero, did an excellent job in portraying a young girl and being energetic the entire time. The Mad Hatter, played by Larry Ortiz, was definitely mad. From making people in the audience laugh and hooked, he did an excellent job at playing the Mad Hatter, and always stayed in character whenever something unplanned appeared. The most enjoyable part of this play was every actor made their own character something new, there were no two characters alike. The actors did an amazing
job making an ensemble that left people in awe.

Tech was superb. From the beginning, the spotlight and door grabbed the audience’s attention. What was an amazing touch was the music done by Kara Flores. She brought nostalgia using the older version soundtrack of Alice In Wonderland, which brings adults and teenagers childhood back to life. The sound was amazing but ended abruptly at times. There were smooth transitions with lights and different colors appeared to chance from each scene, which made transitions perfect. An excellent special effect added was a smoke machine for the Caterpillar. The special effects with flashing lights were extremely fast at times. The set and costumes were amazing. A person can tell they definitely put a lot of time into their set, which would have been excellent to see up close. The backstage crew did an excellent job moving props smoothly without any interruptions. The props and d�cor brought the play to life.

Alice in Wonderland is a great show to see with family and friends. It will make a person laugh and keep them entertained the whole time. People of all ages will get to see their favorite Disney character in real life and have a wonderful experience they will never forget.

by Gloria Nunez of Montwood High School

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Alice in Wonderland has been a classic story we’ve all heard and loved. This timeless piece never fails to intrigue and draw an audience into the rabbit hole of Wonderland. And Americas had done just that with their performance.

Immediately the performance starts with the White Rabbit (Samantha Aguilar) rushing away and bringing Alice (Raquel Romero) deeper into Wonderland. The audience is quickly immersed into this world through a simple but beautiful set and costumes that are easily and famously recognizable. This leaves no doubt in audience mind as to where they are whisked off to.

Alice was wonderfully played by Raquel Romero as she kept up the curious and wondrous personality of her character. The Cheshire Cat, played hilariously by Mattie Haase, kept the audience immensely amused with every appearance. Of course, these two were not the only ones who played a part in keeping the madness of Wonderland.

The tea party with the Mad Hatter was, for lack of better words, mad. From the huge hat the Mad Hatter (Larry Ortiz) wore, to the sleepy Dormouse (Rebecca Baird), to the crazy laughter and constant twitchy nose of the March Hare (Ashley Almanza), the audience is once again entertained with the curiosities of Wonderland.

The story continues to unfold and the Queen and King of Hearts (Sophia Woodson and Fernie Rivera) make their appearance. Woodson certainly owned her Queen character, casting an intimidating presence with the King amusingly following her along with silly actions.

The ending is bittersweet, Alice must go back to reality and have Wonderland in her dreams, for she may never see it again. This was Americas last performance of this beautiful story. Luckily, we can take a bit of madness from the amazing performance into our lives and memories as Lewis Carroll had originally intended.

“…Just don’t stop believing…” Chapin High School’s heart-wrenching performance of “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller was a sight to see on Friday. It was clear that each member of the cast and crew worked hard to produce their unique rendition of the beautiful tragedy.

The show tells the story of the small Keller family which is still coping with the supposed loss of their son Larry. The Keller’s grief doesn’t end there, we later find out that Joe Keller, a loving husband and father previously went to jail along with his neighbour, a fact that soon comes back to haunt him. Their remaining son, Chris, is hopelessly in love with his brother’s girlfriend. The audience was enthralled by each of the actors, as they all made the audience feel for each of them with their distressful movements and heartbreaking remarks.

Andres Rodriguez, who played the young Chris Keller, captured the audience’s sympathies with his larger than life performance. During his lovesick proclamation to Ann Deever, spectators couldn’t help but smile for the ecstatic Chris.

Another notable performance was Patricia Covarrubias’s portrayal of Ann Deever. Covarubbias captivated onlookers with her New York charm and smarts. Her representation of Ann was only complemented further when Daniel Arizpe, who played her angry brother George Deever, was on stage. Covarrubias and Arizpe had beautiful chemistry and a believable sibling bond while performing.

The set was unique and unexpected for such a dramatic play, however the contrast showed Chapin’s fresh perspective on an American classic. The depth and misfortune of the play juxtaposed with the brightly coloured set only highlighted the seriousness of the words being spoken.

Chapin High School certainly worked hard to put on such a serious play. Everything was unique and interesting to see. The cast and crew definitely had their work cut out for them to produce such a beloved play, however it seemed to come together wonderfully.

Reviewed by Syona Moorthy of Coronado High School

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Living in Chicago seems to be peaceful; sweet air, close knit family and friends, and the perfect “girl next door”, but when the war comes along friends and families are torn apart and balance is thrown off. This is the story of All my Sons by Arthur Miller presented by Chapin High School’s Worklight Theatre.

When oldest son Larry Keller doesn’t return home from the war his family denies anything terrible at all costs. Kate Keller (Madeleline Poche) is in complete denial and the father Joe Keller (Sirius Del Castillo) and their son, Chris, (Andres Rodriguez) are doing the best they can to remain positive.

Poche truly showed what it feels like to know when something is wrong but try your best to brush it off. Her downwards spiral of denial only got worse as the show went on. She broke the audience’s hearts when she read Ann’s letter from her son that stated he was suicidal. When she was yelling at her family, it felt incredibly real, and her reactions were well timed and showed accurate emotions.

Chris Keller (Rodriguez) is incredibly funny and his mannerisms made the whole audience laugh or smile in scenes like when he kissed and proposed to Ann (Patricia Covarrubias). Although he begins to grow further away from his father when he discovers he was the one who sent out the faulty airplane pieces which killed 21 pilots and pushed Larry over the edge. They both shared the belief of putting their family first which was clearly seen by Rodriguez and Del Castillo.

The actors began to show more energy as soon as Chris (Rodriguez) kissed Ann (Covarrubias), which made the whole audience giggle and fall in love with those two characters. The set built by the cast and tech crew was extremely colorful and created a facade for the broken family living in it.

In the end, Chapin’s production of All My Sons truly showed that in order for something to be reborn, it must be destroyed.

None of us really enjoys spending the day cleaning around the house, but in this case it takes on a deeper meaning than simply keeping the dust away. This is the basis for the Angels in the Wings Theatre Company’s presentation of The Clean House by Sarah Ruhl.

The show starts with the Brazilian maid Matilde telling the story of how her parents fell in love in her village and how she ended up coming to America after both of them passed away. We find that she eventually started working as a maid for Dr. Lane and her husband Charles. A bit later Lane’s sister Virginia visits the house and begs the maid to let her clean Lane’s house for her because she has nothing better to do with her time. When cleaning the stumble upon some promiscuous underwear that doesn’t belong to Dr.Lane and her life takes a downward spiral from there.

Matilde (Deane Aoun) loves making up new jokes to keep her mind off cleaning and has a very sassy demeanor. She’ll never turn down an opportunity to whip out a witty insult whenever she’s talked down to and she despises cleaning and physical contact. In general her accent was really good and didn’t ditract from her speech. She was very easy to understand and her line delivery was very well timed. I was kinda disappointed we didn’t get to hear the perfect joke but at the same time I don’t want to die either. Lane (Isabella Noe) holds herself on a very high pedestal, she believes she is the perfect woman so when she finds out that her husband cheats on her she falls and falls hard. I like how Virginia (Anji Inukai) doesn’t have much going for her in life. Her husband does’t really give her much attention, she’s home alone a lot, and she doesn’t have any friends. You can hear her despair in her voice and despite her life not being in the bast condition she still wants to care for her sister.

Charles (Karina Nañez) is the surgeon husband who cheats on Lane for an older patient. He believes that he has done nothing wrong. His voice was surprisingly deep especially considering he is played by a female, Karina was so convincing many of us had to check the program twice to make sure it wasn’t a male actor. Ana (Lizbeth Avila) is Charles’ new lover. They fell in love in the operating room and she unfortunately has breast cancer. She’s not exactly what you would expect from someone who slept with someone else’s husband. She’s kind and considerate, she really isn’t spiteful and she even treats Lane with respect.

This show wasn’t littered with a lot of extravagant tech but that’s because it doesn’t need to go all out. The use of LED lights helped differentiate the scenes inside Lane’s house from the scenes on Ana’s Balcony and the spotlights let the audiance know that the scene in front of them was a memory. There really weren’t a lot of sound queues, the only really noticeable one was with the vacuum which was pretty well timed. The costumes were nice and fit their respective characters but didn’t distract from the actual story being told. The set was minimalistic but functional so it did help convey the story effectively.

The Clean House is a story about love, regret and life in general. It shows that even the best in their field can all be a victim to a cheating husband and that love isn’t a guaranteed luxury in every marriage. But sometimes, despite your personal life crumbling before your eyes, it’s always good to find a good joke to clean your insides.

Reviewed by Kristin Rodriguez of Americas High School

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The clean house is the story of Matilde(Deane Aoun), a Brazilian cleaning lady whose parents literally died laughing, and the two married doctors she works for. After the death of her parents Matilde refuses to clean leading her boss Lane (Isabella Noe) to have her medicated. Upon hearing that her sister’s maid is depressed, Lanes sister Virginia (Anji Inukai) comes to visit and becomes freinds with Matilde. Virginia offers to clean Lane’s house for Matilde. One day while doing the laundry Virginia discovers underwear that do not belong to lane. It is later revealed that her husband Charles (Karina Nañez) is in fact in love with another woman named Ana (Lizbeth Avila). Charles expresses his love for Ana and decides to leave lane causing lane to fire Matilde but decides to keep her later on. As Anna begins to die of breast cancer lane decides to care for her while Charles goes to Alaska in search of a healing tree. Through this time her house becomes increasingly dirtier. Matilde, Lane, Virginia, and Ana become closer and closer. Matilde even helps her die in the same way as her parents by telling her the perfect joke allowing her to die with a smile.

A lot of the technical aspects of the show were very well done. Makeup, costumes, lighting, and set where done very nicely expecially the blue lighting of the ocean. At times there where awkward pauses and a tad bit of stepping on lines but other than those few small problems the actors did a very good job of giving truth in their performances. Something I really enjoyed seeing was Karina Nañez as Charles because it is a male role played by a female actor I thought it wasn’t going to work out however, Karina did a very good job at portraying Charles from physical appearance to even the voice. I absolutely loved Deane as Matilde and how consistent her accent was which is often a problem with some actors but for her it was really good. You can see there is true stage chemistry with Isabella and Anji which really helps the audience bond with them and relate to the sister like issues they have. One of my absolute favorite things was how Lizbeth Avila really gave the audience reason to love Ana even though she was the other woman which definitely made it so much more emotional when Ana died.

This show was beautifully put together and performed. The actors over all really gave the audience a good laugh and a punch of emotions at the end from Matilde and her jokes and sass towards everyone to the downfall of lane and Ana’s death. Loretto Academy kept the audience at the edge of their seat waiting to see what would happen next. Congrats on the newly remodeled theater and another great show.

“If life seems jolly rotten, there’s something you’ve forgotten! And that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing!” As the cast of lively characters prance around on stage in spite of their circumstances, laughter resonates throughout the theater. Indeed, Socorro High School’s performance of SPAMALOT reminded us we must always look on the bright side of life and have a little fun.

SPAMALOT is a musical adaptation of the well-known film, MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL; it is the product of collaborative efforts from Eric Idle and John Du Prez. The musical parodies the legendary adventures of King Arthur (Ethan Barrera)—alongside him, his trustworthy assistant, Patsy (Oscar Perez)—and the Knights of the Round Table (consisting of Carlos Berumen, Raul Olivas, Ruben Villa, and Raul Hernandez) as they embark on their quest to find the Holy Grail. The Socorro High School Teatristas brought the audience along for this wild ride, and thrilled every viewer with a hysterically spectacular performance from start to finish.

The musical’s set was incredibly put together; a charmingly painted castle served as their main background for most of the scenes. Their set was also comprised of things such as clouds hanging from the sky, and different, painted set pieces which provided the audience a perfect sense of place without crowding the stage. The castle was not only pleasing to look at, however, it was also astoundingly functional; large doors opened up to reveal moving set pieces or actors, and one side of the castle even turned around to double as a tower which held a helpless prince captive.

Every character, no matter how insignificant to the plot—which ends up becoming a delightfully hilarious mess—had the crowd roaring with laughter until the very end. Ethan Barrera and Carrie Martinez were excellent as King Arthur himself and The Lady of the Lake, respectively. Sir Bedevere, portrayed by Raul Hernandez, particularly stood out amongst the rest of the Knights of the Round Table because he lacked a backstory. Despite this, Hernandez truly brought this whimsical character to life magnificently.

Armando Veloz, playing the role of Not Dead Fred and Prince Herbert, deserves tremendous praise as a comedic actor. His mannerisms and characterization made his short-lived scenes all the more striking, as well as amusing. Gerralyn Hill was another notable actress whose outstanding performances as Galahad’s mother and The Black Knight brought the musical to a whole other level.

The song “Knights of the Round Table” deserves an honorable mention for its choreography; most impressively, the tap dancing from the knights. Some other fan-favorites, including “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” for its high spirits, use of bright colors and happy whistling, and “His Name is Lancelot” for its priceless dancing and incorporation of disco lights and other complex technical aspects, made the show a joy to experience.

Ultimately, the talents of Socorro High School’s theater department left everyone longing for an encore performance of their dazzling show. The lucky spectators who got to experience such an unbelievably fun show owe the Teatristas a big round of applause for such a memorable adventure that taught them: when you’re chewing on life’s gristle, don’t grumble, give a whistle—and that’ll help things turn out for the best!

Reviewed by Ana Rosales of Coronado High School

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“We eat ham, and jam, and spam a lot.” Laughs, cheers, and awed gasps filled the air during Socorro High School’s hilarious performance of Eric Idle’s “Spamalot.” Each and every moment on stage was as interesting and funny as the last.

The musical tells the tale of the mighty King Arthur and his rag-tag band of misfit knights as they waltz across the realm in search of the famous Holy Grail. In each of their adventures, Arthur and his knights run into the unavoidable snag in the road, always resulting in a hysterical new revelation for the audience. Every member of Socorro’s cast made spectators roar with laughter with their larger than life performances and satirical one-liners.

Ethan Barrera, who played the perpetually bemused King Arthur, enthralled the audience with his extraordinary facial expressions and vocal projection. Likewise, his ever-present sidekick Patsy, portrayed by Oscar Perez, captured everyone’s sympathies during King Arthur’s hilarious solo “I’m All Alone”, though the audience couldn’t help but laugh at poor Patsy’s expense.

Another notable performance was Carrie Martinez’s Lady of the Lake. Undeniably the best singer in the cast, both Martinez’s voice and sidesplitting quips had the audience in awe. During the entirety of the second act she made everyone laugh with her irritable attitude and hilariously harsh bluntness. As well as the Lady of the Lake, the performances of all of the ensembles left the entire audience gasping for breath with their hysterical physical comedy.

The lighting and sound went almost unnoticed until our heroes entered Camelot, of course kicking off their arrival with a tremendous dance number. Lights spilled over the stage in a series of colours and movements, and the music and singing only heightened the incredible experience. Similarly, during the astonishing performance of the song “His Name is Lancelot” the lights danced across the stage with the actors as set pieces moved and singers crooned. The set’s moving pieces were amazing, as they would transport the audience throughout the medieval world.

While the actors were occasionally off key or covered by set pieces, for the most part everyone worked around these small problems and made the show even more spectacular with their great projection and funny jokes.

Socorro High School’s “Spamalot” had everyone laughing a lot in every aspect of their interpretation of the Monty Python musical. Every member of the audience left with a smile on their face and a fresh perspective on the famous story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Doctors, monsters, freaks galore! You’re in for a real treat when you’re in attendance at Americas High School’s performance of “The Werewolf’s Curse or Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow” written by Billy St. John. The show focuses on a young college student who’s been bitten by a werewolf and is on a quest to find a cure. In a horrible attempt to make money, a certain pair of evil doers try to increase the werewolf’s curse.

The set was simple, there was a rotating platform with different backdrops drawn on as a way of creating the scenery of a comforting mansion living room or a disastrous mad scientist’s laboratory. The art, hand drawn, was very impressive, there were bookshelves, tables, chemicals, and even tesla coils to capture the audience’s attention towards the brightness of the setting. The mansion interior was given a sort of gothic look with hanging candles made with fans, lights, and clear plastic bags to create a beautiful image. The doctor’s lab, although partially empty, the experimentation table and chemicals gave it the creepy, spooky undertone one would expect from a mad man’s lab.

Throughout the entirety of the play there were a variety of light changes and sound cues required to ensure the continuation of the play, however there were some slight issues. In the beginning of the play the lighting flashes behind the curtain to re-create the image of lightning was absolutely stunning and very impressive, however the thunder that accompanied the lightning would occasionally drown out some of the performers. Although the sound was well cued and selected the intensity of the volume would drop some of the energy in the scene, but that wouldn’t stop the actors from picking it back up. The lights were probably one of the best I’ve ever seen with red lights to create a fiery image, or green lights for a terrifying ambience in the laboratory.

In the performance certain actors definitely rose to the occasion. One of the best was Daniela Hernandez who portrayed 7 different characters related to each other called Doppelgänger. Hernandez very clearly put on many different characteristics, mannerisms, and voices to create a different image of all of the different relatives. From the moment Hernandez took the stage the audience was roaring with laughter. Another prominent performer was Krystian Rodriguez who portrayed the hero, Harry Pate. As he was turning into a werewolf, Rodriguez adopted several canine characteristics with a touch of lovable puppy to give the transformation a more comedic twist, while building off of other characters in order to form a good performance.

The show was well-produced and through the passion the actors showed it was obvious a lot of work was put into their creation. Through the tiny errors, the actor always picked the show up again, and impressed the audience with their comical actions and jokes. “The Werewolf’s Curse or Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow” was a show worth attending!

Reviewed by Derek Brown of Coronado High School

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“The Werewolf’s Curse or Hair Today Gone, Tomorrow” is a hysterical Billy St. John comedy that incorporates a wide range of supernatural beings. The story of Harry Pate, a student at the University of Lipsync in Rumania, is bitten by a werewolf cub while on a field trip. When the full moon appears, Harry sprouts a large amount of hair and a craving for raw roast beef. Disgusting his strictly vegetarian fiancée, Etta Greenleaf, they seek the assistance of Madam Clara Voyant in hopes of releasing the curse. Each of these characters, from the carnies to the evil doctor, had their own unique charm to them that gave the play a fun, infectious personality.

The boisterous Harry Pate was played by Krystian Rodriguez. He proved to be a talent to remember with his distinct, well rounded performance. I greatly appreciated his ability to act believably as a canine. He showed the struggle that the character would have faced in trying to suppress such a transformation. Aside from times when he could have enunciated or projected more, he clearly proved to be the heart of the show.

One performance that really kept the performance alive and upbeat was from Daniela Hernandez. Playing seven separate roles, none of which had the same personality, showcased her talent tremendously. Initially, I had no idea that these characters were all played by the same individual. I loved how she gave each a certain characteristic that differentiated one from the other. There were instances when her accents were a little off or the accent made it hard to understand her, but none of these factors made me enjoy her performance any less.

Another character whose performance really stood out to me was Cheyenne Morales who played Bella. She seemed to really embrace the sassy belly dancer’s personality, setting her apart from the other carnival ensemble. Her facial expressions had me dying with laughter and her physicality was perfectly fit with the character.

The technical aspects of this production had their flaws, but I was entertained by what it added to the show. For example, at the beginning, they had the lights flashing in a way that imitated a thunderstorm, which was fascinating. The green LEDs in the laboratory created an evil ambiance that I greatly appreciated. The use of recordings was very clever, but could have been executed better. They could have utilized multiple speakers in the audience in order to correspond with the side of the stage the actor was on. The sound effects were played late a couple of times and it left the actors waiting for it to come.

Although there was room for improvement in this performance, I enjoyed the silly and uproarious nature of the show. Americas’ production of “The Werewolf’s Curse or Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow” was certainly “an outrageous supernatural comedy.”

Just reading that figure on a page, it is hard to imagine the absolute horror and devastation of this tragedy, one of—if not—the darkest hours in the history of humanity. When watching this horror unfold through the eyes of a child forced to grow up in that darkest hour, it becomes so much more real.

Pebble Hills’ production of I Never Saw Another Butterfly tells the harrowing story of Raja Englanderova, a young Jewish girl fighting to survive in Nazi Germany. Watching powerlessly as everyone she cares about is ripped away from her, Raja turns to drawing and poetry to find courage in a world full of fear.

Nychelle Hawk was phenomenal as adult Raja Englanderova! It’s always difficult to play older roles, but Hawk’s brilliant portrayal of the character left me speechless, marveling at how a narrator could be so dynamic. Through her facial expressions, she did so much more than narrate the story—she was reliving those experiences, conveying every emotion held in those memories that still haunted her. In the role of the younger Raja, Scarlett Flores also gave a commendable performance. She did an astounding job at developing her relationships with the other characters, especially with her teacher, Irena Synkova (played by Alyssa Azcarate.) Azcarate conveyed her character’s relationship with the children with exceptional skill. I could feel how much she cared about the kids, wanting nothing more than to help them learn. It should also be noted that most of the actors maintained a consistent accent throughout the show, which is a very impressive thing to do.

The technical aspects of the performance were incredible. This performance featured some of the best-designed lighting I have ever seen in a high school show. Subtle light changes created chilling suspense and kept the audience on the edge of their seats. It had a huge impact, but was not distracting in the least. The sound was also well-designed and well-executed. There were plenty of sudden noises that made your heart skip a beat, as well as gentle music that underscored the emotional intensity of many scenes.

The set was stunning and realistic. It looked authentic, and was designed in a way that lent itself well to creative scene transitions, which were some of my favorite parts of in the show. Also, the costumes were perfectly fit to both the time period and the characters.

Pebble Hills’ production of “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” is one of the strongest high school performances I have ever seen! It is a stunning execution of an intensely powerful show; one could not watch it without being deeply affected. It was tragic, terrifying, and emotionally piercing.

Reviewed by Madeline Poche of Chapin High School

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“Only I never saw another butterfly. That butterfly was the last one. Butterflies don’t live here, in the ghetto.” As these words rang in my ears and grew heavy in the audience members’ hearts during Pebble Hills High School’s moving performance of “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” by Celeste Raspanti, it became difficult to believe two truths: such horrible events have occurred in our world, and that the Spartan Thespian Society was doing such a beautiful job venerating them.

The true story mainly follows the life and narration of Raja Englanderova, a Jewish girl who survives the tragic conditions of Terezin, a concentration camp in World War II Germany. The story, both the hopeful and the harrowing, was brought to life brilliantly by Pebble Hills, from the intense beginning to the heartbreaking end. The quality of the production shines in the portrayals by the actors, as well as in the outstandingly executed tech work.

Telling Raja’s story mostly in flashback, the show featured the heroine both in her grown-up form, looking back on it all, and in her youth, living through each calamitous second. Both the older Raja (Nychelle Hawk) and her younger counterpart (Scarlett Flores) gave breathtaking performances. I believed wholeheartedly that they were the same person at different ages, for each conveyed the pain of the times and situation with equal sincerity and passion. It is quite a difficult task to convincingly portray any character significantly older or younger than you, and both actresses did a beautiful job doing so.

Another notable performance was on the part of Jonathon Solis as Honza, particularly in his relationship with Flores. He achieved a perfect boyish charm and proudness in his character, and thus was a perfect complement to Raja. Additionally, Irena Synkova, the teacher and role model for the girls in the camp, was played expertly by Alyssa Azcarate. Her performance contained the perfect balance of authority and tenderness, and her accent was one of the most consistent of the show.

The technical aspects, from lighting to costumes, were also very well done. The set, the camp and Raja’s childhood home on opposite sides and a grand arch in the center, was executed wonderfully. It was highly effective in its use of space and in transporting the audience into the story. The lights were seamless and professional, and I greatly appreciated the significance of different colors, such as using a tinge of red whenever the Nazi officers entered. The sound, though impactful, did on occasion seem abrupt and out of place. However, any instances of this were made up for by the beautiful music selection, which allowed each audience member feel the essence of the show.

Due to gifted performers and workers, the Spartan’s production of “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” is one that will surely never be forgotten. In it, Pebble Hills captured the tragedy and ruin in a manner that ensured nobody left with dry eyes, but also managed to remind us of one message that proves the resilience of humanity: even through all of the horror, there will still be butterflies to be seen.

“They’re coming for you Barbara, they’re gonna get you.” As soon as the words are spoken and dark figures emerge from the audience and slowly start making their way on stage you know what’s going to happen. More importantly when that figure starts eating a character and all around you dark figures start to emerge from the graves next to and right behind you, what can you do but wait your turn to be eaten.

Parkland High School’s production of Night of the Living Dead adapted by Lori Allen Ohm tells the story of how a Venus satellite probe returns to Earth carrying radiation that brings back the dead and turns them into flesh eating zombies. A group of people become stuck in an isolated house and turn on one another while trying to survive and fend off these monsters. While you root for them to survive, who can truly survive a zombie attack?

Parkland’s production was a sight to see; from zombies being scattered across the audience to the eerie music playing in the background, to the graves placed next to your seat, the mood was set almost immediately. More importantly throughout the show you looked around to make sure nothing undead was coming your way.

Sierra Rhodes was wonderful as Barbara, her bickering with her brother Johnny (Matthew Dean) was genuine and her brother’s death did really change her character and she showed it. Jayson Coleman portrayed his character Ben in a way that demanded your attention. With him wanting to take charge he certainly did. Christopher Kneeskern and his character, Harry, butted heads with Coleman’s character many times. Their fighting seemed genuine and both worked well off one another’s energy.

Ava Allen portrayed Helen wonderfully; she showed much concern for her bitten daughter and wanting to save her. Sherriff McClellan (Soroya Zanders) was an interesting sheriff who encouraged people to burn the undead and to do a good job so they don’t come back. The zombies stole the show with their zombie walks, and their appearance at just the right moment and their looks. While some characters overpowered other characters, the chemistry the cast had with one another made up for it. While the zombies lacked verbal noises their actions and appearance were enough to warn you to stay away.

The opening music really enhanced the show, it set up the eerie mood. The video played before the start of the show helped the audience understand what happened in an interesting way. The set was cleverly constructed to show us the house and the cellar without needing scene changes. The television reports were cleverly placed to keep the show running smoothly.

If you ever see a dark figure approach you at a graveyard make sure to run for your life and never look back.

by Daniella Hernandez of Americas High School

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Be prepared for a sunset moment of hair-raising, spine tingling terror, and heart racing anticipation during the play, “Night of the Living Dead,” presented by the Parkland Players in the Parkland High School Theater. This performance of a modern day setting in rural Pennsylvania is loosely based on the 1968 movie story-line; the characters in this play face the ever popular zombie catastrophe and have to quickly think and fight to stay alive. Upon entering the theater, a suspenseful eeriness of Halloween style background music and dim lighting precede the play’s opening of a short, dated film of a rocket explosion and leakage of radioactive substance, thus the subsequent creation of the dead coming to life. The night of terror begins as these creatures walk among the aisles of the audience. Their sleuth like moments and dead eyes are perfectly created through the makeup of bloody, stale and tattered clothing.

A memorable soulless corpse was portrayed by Nicholas Gruver (Zombie #1). His non-wavering character brought props on stage to life in a realistic living dead manner. The survivors’ movements and dialog matched the personalities of the characters being portrayed (quick witted, fighter, antagonistic, scared stiff, in shock, dying etc.). An exceptional survivor was Jayson Coleman (Ben) – military like, always moving and taking charge of the situation and believable will to live- with fantastic projection and inseparable from his character of Ben. Michael Kneeskern (Tom) was a great complement to Ben, with his antagonistic behavior and great booming voice of obstinance.

The settings created a perfect scenario of that night: the interior of the house (immovable, monochromatic painted set of inside house- living room and basement; use of audience aisles), simple props (very few decoration; subdued furniture pieces; boards with Velcro with allusion of nailing to door and windows), the difference of light settings (bright in the house until greatly dimmed to show lights out; spotlights to reflect different scenes such as broadcast and outside interview; blackouts for major scene changes ), and sound (with eerie background music; sound effects- perfect scratchy, muffled voice of radio announcer).

This very short, one act play, created life changing events in one night that kept the audience members on the edge of their seats or curled up in it from fear of a sudden zombie attack. The interweaving of the dead among the audience and the many complete blackout moments created a fight or flight feeling but the fear and curiosity of what will happen next will keep one silently and stiffly planted in their seat. The blood curdling screams will echo inside the mind long after departing from this night of terror and its twisted surprising finale.

“Is he dead?” is a funny Mark Twain comedy that has everything you can think of. Drag, death, poverty. It is a show that Coronado did very well. I was at the edge of my seat the entire time. I laughed so hard and had an absolutely great time. The set was amazing although there were some upstaging furniture and some distractions happened backstage, but a very good play.

I think the actors had really good projection. Enunciation was a little off but the different variety of cultures really spiced up the whole thing. The costumes made me feel like I was in France in the 1800s.

What made me fall in love was the set in the second act! The beautiful french doors with the pretty black marble stairs. And the dresses; they were so big and beautiful. The make up was a bit hard to see but very well applied. The paintings were beautiful and complementary to the set.

The main actor Millet portrayed by Derek Brown was really expressive: I loved his facial expressions. I also admired his stage presence and his personality as Daisy. The fact that all this started for money and ended for love touched my heart. I love seeing such great talents coming together to make something beautiful. This play was not only a very good comedy but a romantic one which brings me to Marie Leroux portrayed by Robyn Farley. She had such a good connection with Millet it looked so real and so natural and her gaciousness upon the stage was simply beautiful. This was a very good comedy!

by Kodaya Butler of Pebble Hills High School

“Is He Dead?” Is a comical Mark Twain play about a starving artist who is looking for fame and riches. The play takes place in Barbizon, France. The play includes hiding identities and cross dressing. “Is He Dead?” is comical and has the audience laughing in suspense. The show was filled with many laughs, mystery and left us on the edge of our seats to see what is happening next. The lead role Francois Millet played by Derek Brown, really stole the show and took the stage. Derek Brown’s character was extremely comical and breathtaking! Brown’s character will be extremely memorable. The character Cecile Leroux played by Sarah Lovett, was comical and added suspense to how the storyline and how it played out. Sarah Lovett’s (Cecile Leroux) stage presence was outstanding! The trio of Chicago, Dutchy, and Francois was outstanding, the chemistry they had really tied the show together. Madame Bathilde and Madame Caron had a wonderful and lovely chemistry they portrayed onstage. Phelim O’Shaughnessy played by Daniel Rosales was comical and left the audience in laughter. The cast had a great chemistry and worked hard as a team to put on this show. Their efforts were extremely noticeable.

The accents could have been more consistent and different. All the accents sounded French, even the ones portraying an Irish accent. Upstaging was an issue for the minor roles but they tried their best to fix it as soon as possible! The old age makeup could have been more distinct and blended. Also, the beginning of the show could have began with a bit more energy. These were only minor details, the show had the audience laughing and overall was a great show!

The show “Is he dead?” is a must see! The Coronado High School theatre performed a remarkable show that had the audience laughing and wanting more. The show had its moments of mystery and suspense but put the suspense into a comical twist. The show was enjoyable and is highly recommended!

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Cappies

The El Paso Cappies Blog is here to provide information about high school theater in El Paso. We will be providing reviews of shows past and previews of shows to come. Most of our content will be student generated.